Method and apparatus for treating yarn



1964 w. M. BAGGETT ETAL 3,120,027

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING YARN Filed May 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTORS W. M. BAGGETT 1'3 T. E. WOODS Y j/lzdu m. mm

ATTOR NEY 1964 w. M. BAGGETT ETAL 3, 27

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING YARN Filed May 23, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet2 ,Jwmwwzr.

ATTOR NEY United States Patent w 3,129,027 METHQD AND ARPARATUS FURTREATHNG YARN William M. Baggett, Pensacola, Fla, and Tarlton E. Woods,Greensboro, N.C., assignors to Monsanto Chemical Company, St. Louis,Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 2.3, less, S61- No. 197,969 4Qlaims. (Cl. ill-59 This invention relates to a method and apparatus forproducing a treated yarn, preferably a yarn of nylon composition. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a method and guide forseparating a group of filaments into subdivided bundles whilesimultaneousl applying a treating agent thereto.

Nylon yarn is produced by initially extruding a polymer compound throughcapillaries in a spinneret. The filaments issuing from the capillariesare quenched by directing a flow of air into their path and they arethen converged into an unstretched or unfinished yarn. The un finishedyarn is conditioned with steam and lubricated by applying a liquid agentor finish thereto. Thereafter the yarn is passed between a differentialspeed feed and draw roll assembly for stretching the yarn and orientingthe molecules therein. The stretched or finished yarn is subsequentlycollected on bobbins.

In order to more uniformly lubricate the yarn, it is not uncommon toseparate the freshly spun quenched filaments into a plurality of bundlesand to lubricate each bundle separately before merging them.

The lubricants or treating agents used often contain waxes, resins,dyes, etc., and are in the form of an emulsion, solution or dispersion.Lubricants impart a desired lubricity and pliability to yarns whichprepares them for weaving and knitting operations. Lubricants reduceinter-filament friction during draw-down, thus enhancing theprocessability of the multi-filainent yarns. Lubricants also improve thequality of yarns in general.

Many different kinds of devices are used in textile processing to coatyarns with a liquid finish or lubricant. Conventional constructionsemploy either a rotating wheel partially immersed in a lubricant or awick of ab sorbing material moistened at one end thereof with alubricant to transfer the lubricant to the filaments when the latter arepassed engagingly over the wheel or the wick. In conventional equipment,multi-bundle convergence guides and finish applicators are separatedevices.

It is an object of this invention to provide a convergence guide andliquid agent applicator device for processing yarns.

Another object is to provide a convergence guide having a plurality ofgrooves each normally supplied with a metered amount of liquid agent.

Another object is to provide a convergence guide adapted to apply aliquid agent uniformly to subdivided portions of a group of filaments.

Another object is to provide a convergence guide which is botheconomical to produce and simple in construction.

Another object is to provide a convergence guide for improving thespinning process of nylon yarn.

Another object is to provide a convergence guide adapted to permit aliquid agent under pressure to flow directly into contact with a movingyarn.

Another object is to provide a convergence guide hav- Patented Feb. 4,196% ing orifice means of different dimensions to provide uniform flowof a liquid agent to yarn passing engagingly thereover.

A further object is to provide an improved method for producing aconditioned yarn.

A still further object is to provide an improved method includingsimultaneously converging, lubricating, and conditioning yarn.

The convergence guide and lubricant applicator device, according to theinvention, comprises a block body having a reservoir defined therein anda plurality of substantially parallel grooves formed on its exteriorsurface. The reservoir is normally supplied with a lubricant underpressure from a metering pump through connecting means in the blockbody. The lubricant flows to the grooves from the reservoir via orificesin the block body.

In operation, separate bundles of filaments are positioned in arespective groove of the convergence guide so that the bundles passbelow the orifices in the grooves. A lubricant is metered from apositive displacement type metering pump to the reservoir and to thegrooves via the orifices in the guide and the lubricant is thus appliedto the filaments as they pass over the surfaces of the grooves.

The improved method for producing a treated yarn comprises movinglongitudinally from a source thereof a group of filaments and quenchingthe latter. The quenched group of filaments is then converged into aplurality of separate bundles and concurrently a lubricant is applied toeach bundle. The filaments are surrounded with steam at the point ofconvergence and lubrication, and the lubricated bundles are thencombined to form a yarn.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the detaileddescription given hereinafter and to the drawmg.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view showing the convergence guide and liquidtreating applicator device embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the guide shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section view taken through 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary View showing a modified embodiment of theconvergence guide and liquid treating applicator device embodying theinvention;

FIGURE 5 is an end view showing the preferred position of the orificesin the convergence guide and liquid treating applicator device inrelation to the path of yarn travel; and

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the meth od and apparatusof the invention.

Referring to the drawing, in which like components in each of thefigures are designated by like reference numerals for conveniencereasons, the preferred embodiment of the convergence guide and lubricantapplicator device 1 comprises a block or casing 2 having a cavity orreservoir 3 extending inwardly from a threaded end thereof. A cap 4having internal threads and an annular shoulder for positioning a seal 5therein is sealingly threaded on the threaded end of casing 2. Oppositethe threaded end of casing Z a bore 6 extends inwardly from the exteriorof device ll into the reservoir 3.

One end of a line 7, connected to a metering pump 3 at its opposite end,is press-fit into bore 6. Metering pump 8, which may be of anyconventional positive displacement type, is connected by a line 9 to asource of supply of a lubricant and is operated by a motor 10. Athreaded bore 11 in the end wall of casing 2 serves as one means ofmounting the device 1.

A plurality of substantially parallel circular grooves 12 are formed onthe outer periphery of casing 2. For purposes of illustration device 1is shown with four grooves 12. Each groove 12 has tapered sidewallswhich join to form the base or bottom of the groove. In the base of eachgroove 12 there is an orifice 13 that extends through the wall of casing2 and opens into reservoir 3.

Reservoir 3 is provided with a porous filter 14 preferably of thecartridge type as illustrated in the drawing.

In operation (FIG. 6) a molten polymeric compound is extruded through aspinneret 15 having a multiplicity of holes. The filaments 16 issuingfrom the spinneret are quenched by a cross-low of air and are dividedinto a number of bundles corresponding to the number of grooves 12 indevice 1 by means of a separator device employed by an operator. Theoperator locates each bundle within a respective groove 12.

From device 1 filaments 16 are forwarded through a conditioning tube 17located below the device. Conditioning tube 17 is normally filled withsteam or conditioning air from a source thereof. The yarn then travelsto a single-bundle convergence guide 18 for combining the bundles toform a yarn. From convergence guide 18 the yarn may be laced so as tomove to a driven feed roll 19 and then directly into a traverse device20 and later is collected on a rotatable bobbin 21. By another lace-upas shown in FIG. 6, the yarn is moved from feed roll 19 to a draw pin22, to a driven draw roll 23 driven at a faster peripheral rate of speedthan the feed roll 12 to stretch the yarn. The stretched yarn then movesthrough a pigtail guide 24, into the traverse device 29, and is thencollected on the bobbin 21. While the yarn is being spun, drawn, andcollected, pump 8 is operated by motor 10 so as to supply a meteredamount of lubricant to reservoir 3 and orifices 13 of guide 1.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 5, device 1 is positioned so that thebundles travel tangentially to the base of the grooves 12 and below theorifices 13 to prevent contact of the filament bundles with the orifices13 and to allow the lubricant to flow down the grooves 12 and intocontact with the moving bundles. As each bundle of filaents travelsbelow an orifice 13, the filaments are coated with the lubricantsupplied from an orifice 13. The steam from the conditioner tube 17surrounds the device 1 and imparts heat to the lubricant gathered by thefilaments and reduces the viscosity of the lubricant.

Grooves 12 are shown as circular. It will be understood that thisconfiguration is desirable from ease of machining and an economystandpoint. An arcuate groove is preferred, although not necessarilycircular, over a longitudinal type groove for the reason that contact offilaments with a round or arcuate surface may be tangential and offersless frictional contact than would a parallel contact of the filamentswith the surface of a longitudinal groove.

In FIGURE 4 a modified embodiment of device 1 is shown wherein eachorifice 13 is of a dilferent size, the orifice nearest the line 7 beingthe smallest in diameter and the others therefrom increasingprogressively in diameter so as to account for a pressure gradient inthe flow of the lubricant.

The guide device 1 provides a simple apparatus and method forsimultaneously separating a group of filaments into bundles andlubricating the latter. The guide device 1 also provides means forpermitting more uniform lubrication of yarn than in the past.

The device 1 is particularly applicable to the lubrication of heavydenier yarns comprised of a large number of filaments. In this case,device 1 may be constructed with a large number of grooves 12 toaccommodate a large number of small bundles of filaments, as would benecessary in the lubrication of heavy denier yarns. Although a largenumber of grooves 12 may be provided, nevertheless, each bundle offilaments will be substantially uniformly lubricated because thelubricant pressure at each orifice 13 will be substantially equal sinceall the orifices 13 have a common reservoir 3.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting frorn the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for spinning and drawing yarn comprising in combination:

a. a spinneret for longitudinally extruding a group of filament yarnfrom a polymer supplied thereto,

1). a first guide fixedly positioned in the group filament yarn pathbelow said spinneret,

c. said first guide comprising hollow casing means having a reservoirdefined therein,

(1. means defining a port extending through the wall of said casingmeans,

8. said port opening at one end thereof into said reservoir andoutwardly of said hollow casing means at its opposite end therebyproviding a passage for normally flowing a treating agent therethroughfrom a source thereof to said reservoir,

f. a plurality of grooves formed on the outer periphery of said casingmeans for dividing the group of filament yarn normally delivered theretointo a plurality of separated filament yarn bundles each having surfaceengagement with a respective one of said plurality of grooves,

g. means defining a plurality of orifices in said casing meansinterconnecting said reservoir with said plurality of grooves forpermitting the treating agent to flow from said reservoir to saidplurality of grooves into contact with said filament yarn bundles forcoating the latter,

metering means supplied with a treating agent and operatively connectedto said port of said first guide for supplying said reservoir with atreating agent under pressure,

1'. conditioning means normally supplied with steam from a sourcethereof located in the filament yarn bundle path adjacent said firstguide for conditioning said bundles of filament yarn and for heating thearea surrounding said first guide,

1'. a second guide positioned in the path of the plurality of bundles offilament yarn near said conditioning means for reuniting said filamentyarn bundles to form a filament yarn end,

drawing means positioned in the filament yarn end path near said secondguide for stretching said yarn end, and

l. take-up means for collecting the stretched yarn end.

2. Apparatus for spinning and drawing yarn comprising in combination:

a. a spinneret for longitudinally extruding a group of filament yarnfrom a polymer supplied thereto,

b. a first guide fixedly positioned in the group filament yarn pathbelow said spinneret,

c. said first guide comprising an elongate hollow casing having areservoir defined therein,

d. port means formed at one end of said hollow casing,

said port means being open at one end to said reservoir and openexteriorly of said hollow casing at its opposite end for flowing atreating agent under pressure delivered from a source thereof to saidreservoir,

e. a plurality of grooves formed contiguously along the peripherallength of said hollow casing for dividing the group filament yarn into aplurality of separate filament yarn bundles each having surface contactwith a respective one of said plurality of grooves,

1. means defining a plurality of orifices in said hollow casing, each ofsaid plurality of orifices interconnecting a respective one of saidplurality of grooves to said reservoir and each increasing in diameterprogressively from said one end of said hollow casing to the oppositeend thereof for causing said treating agent under pressure to flow fromsaid reservoir to said plurality of grooves in uniform amounts and intocontact with the filament yarn bundles for coating the latter,

g. metering means supplied with a treating agent and operativelyconnected to said port of said first guide for supplying said reservoirwith a treating agent under pressure,

conditioning means normally supplied with steam from a source thereoflocated in the filament yarn bundle path adjacent said first guide forconditioning said bundles of filament yarn and for heating the areasurrounding said first guide,

i. a second guide positioned in the path of the plurality of bundles offilament yarn near said conditioning means for reuniting said filamentyarn bundles to form a filament yarn end,

7'. drawing means positioned in the filament yarn end path near saidsecond guide for stretching said yarn end, and

k. take-up means for collecting the stretched yarn end.

3. Apparatus for spinning and drawing yarn comprising in combination:

a. a spinneret for longitudinally extruding a group of filament yarnfrom a polymer supplied thereto,

b. a first guide fixedly positioned in the group filament yarn pathbelow said spinneret,

c. said first guide comprising an elongate hollow casing having areservoir defined therein which reservoir opens outwardly of said hollowcasing at one end thereof,

d. a filter element disposed within said reservoir,

e. a sealing cap adapted to be secured to said hollow casing forsealingly covering said open end of said reservoir,

1. port means extending through the wall of said hollow casing at theopposite end of said hollow casing from said one end thereof, said portbeing open at one end thereof to said reservoir and exteriorly of saidhollow casing at its opposite end for flowing a treating agent underpressure delivered from a source thereof to said reservoir,

g. a plurality of grooves formed contiguously along the peripherallength of said hollow casing for dividing the group filament yarn into aplurality of separate filament yarn bundles each having surface contactwith a respective one of said plurality of grooves,

it. means defining a plurality of orifices in said hollow casing, eachof said plurality of orifices interconnecting a respective one of saidplurality of grooves to said reservoir and each increasin in diameterprogressively from said opposite end of said hollow casing to said oneend thereof for causing said treating agent under pressure to flow fromsaid reservoir to said plurality of grooves in uniform amounts and intocontact with the filament yarn bundles for coating the latter,

2'. metering means supplied with a treating agent and operativelyconnected to said port of said first guide for supplying said reservoirwith a treating agent under pressure,

j. conditioning means normally supplied with steam from a source thereoflocated in the filament yarn bundle path adjacent said first guide forconditioning said bundles of filament yarn and for heating the areasurrounding said first guide,

k. a second guide positioned in the path of the plurality of bundles offilament yarn near said conditioning means for reuniting said filamentyarn bundles to form a filament yarn end,

1. drawing means positioned in the filament yarn end path near saidsecond guide for stretching said yarn end, and

m. take-up means for collecting the stretched yarn end.

4. A method for producing treated yarn comprising:

a. melt spinning a group of filaments,

b. quenching said group of filaments,

c. separating said group of filaments into a plurality of bundles whilesimultaneously applying a lubricant,

d. steam conditioning each of said plurality of bundles at the point ofseparation thereof,

e. thereafter reuniting said plurality of bundles to form a yarn end,

drawing said yarn end, and

g. collecting said drawn yarn end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,444,638 Pease Feb. 6, 1923 2,036,886 Richardson Apr. 7, 1936 2,961,821Marzocchi et a1. Nov. 29, 1960

4. A METHOD FOR PRODUCING TREATED YARN COMPRISING: A. MELT SPINNING AGROUP OF FILAMENTS, B. QUENCHING SAID GROUP OF FILAMENTS, C. SEPARATINGSAID GROUP OF FILAMENTS INTO A PLURALITY OF BUNDLES WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLYAPPLYING A LUBRICANT, D. STEAM CONDITIONING EACH OF SAID PLURALITY OFBUNDLES AT THE POINT OF SEPARATION THEREOF, E. THEREAFTER REUNITING SAIDPLURALITY OF BUNDLES TO FORM A YARN END,